The 3-Step Strategy to a Flat Stomach

Fuel your body with belly-fat burning foods that stabilize your blood sugar. These includes lots of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and good fats. Some rules to follow:

Eat one to two servings of vegetables at every meal. If you eat four to five low-cal meals a day like you should, you'll rack up four to 10 servings of vegetables a day!

Drink lots of water. Good'ol' H2O curbs dehydration, which is easily confused with hunger. Aim for at least 64 ounces (that's eight 8-ounce glasses) of water a day.

Consume high-quality protein at each meal. High-protein foods take more work to digest, metabolize, and use, which means you burn more calories processing them. They also take longer to leave your stomach, so you feel full sooner—and longer.

Don't be afraid of fats. Eat lots of omega-3-rich foods such as olive oil, avocado, fish and nuts, which increase fat oxidation to help keep you slim (fat oxidation is the body's way of breaking down large fat molecules into smaller ones that can be used for energy).